Proposing is Much Harder than it Looks
by Astra1
Summary: Heero's finally worked up the nerve to propose to Relena, but it may turn out to be his hardest mission ever. A little comedy, a little drama, a little plot, but mainly FLUFF! :) 1xRP
1. Proposal Advice: ONE thing the Gundam pi...

Proposing is Much Harder than it Looks

::MAJOR FLUFF Warning::

Disclaimer:  Astra: *sniffity*  We don't own GW, though we'd be very happy (and VERY rich) if we did…  Shizuko: Actually…we don't own much of anything…although I do plan to rule the world…ever since Uncle Treize willed it to me…(Astra Note:  Her ALIAS last name is Khushrenada)  Astra:  Yeah…sure you just KEEP believing that, 'ko, it distracts you…  Shizuko: *ignoring Astra*  And Mariemaia CONTESTED the will, too!  She thought SHE'D be strong enough to rule…  Astra: Blah blah blah blah…  Shizuko: …but we all know she wasn't.  Oh well, she's nice as just a cousin.  Astra:  ANYWAY if you're DONE….we DON'T own GW, aren't making any money off this, and DON'T sue (pls?)  Shizuko:  'cause if you sue, you'll be the first to go when my troops take over.  *insanelaughter*  Astra:  *snicker*  

DA FIC!        

Chapter One: Gundam Pilots May be Good at SOME Things…

            Heero had a problem.  He had NO idea WHATSOEVER on how to propose marriage to Relena.  The Perfect Soldier who had assassinated numerous political figures, destroyed several cities single-handedly, saved the world (TWICE), attempted suicide regularly (all for a good cause, of course), and managed to survive landing on his head frequently, most brain cells intact, was now utterly at a loss as how to ask ONE SINGLE QUESTION.  

            So he decided to do something (though not entirely wise) about it.  He decided to ask Duo.  

            Well…Duo HAD managed to get Hilde to marry him…

~

            "…you're FINALLY gonna propose?  COOL!" was Duo's first comment.  But before he could tell Heero anything USEFUL, Hilde walked in.  

            "Who's proposing?"

            Heero mumbled something unintelligible and raised his hand slightly.  

            "COOL!"

            _No WONDER they're perfect for each other.  They were MEANT for each other._  

            "So, how are you going to ask her?"

            "I don't KNOW, Duo, that's why I ASKED you for advice thirty seconds ago…"

            "Oh, right…how did I propose to you, Hilde?"

            "You didn't."  

            "Oh, YEAH.  You proposed to me…over a nice STEAK…I 'member now…you better ask her, Heero…I have no experience…"  

            Heero shook his head despairingly.  

            "Well, Heero, you should start by…"

            "Was I drunk when you asked, Hilde?  I think I might have been…"

            WHACK!  

            Hilde continued.  "…making sure the atmosphere is JUST right…it makes your chances MUCH more favorable…"

            "Yup, I was drunk, I definitely think so…maybe THAT'S the atmosphere thing she's talking about…"

            WHACK!  

            _Perhaps this isn't the couple to ask…_

            "Well uh, thanks for the advice…I got to go…somewhere…"

~

_All right.  Trowa is sane, right?_

Heero heard an elephant's trumpet nearby.  

WHAT do I think I'm DOING?  The guy lives on a CIRCUS… 

            Heero found Trowa sitting in his trailer reading.  He looked up as Heero entered and nodded his greeting.  

            "I need some advice…I want to ask Relena to marry me," Trowa's book fell to the floor; Heero didn't notice, "…but I don't know HOW…"  

            Heero looked at Trowa who just looked back.  Finally, Trowa said, "I'm not married, I'm not even DATING, why are you asking ME?"  He leaned over and picked up his book.  "For all I know you just have to hand her the ring, no words required."  

            _Wouldn't that be perfect?_  

            "Are you sure?"

            "As I said, for all I know."

            _Well…that doesn't seem too hard…_

            "But what if she doesn't get it?"

            Trowa shrugged.      

~

            _All right…QUATRE should know…_

            When Heero walked into Quatre's living room, he found the other boy watching The Princess Bride. 

            _Well, THIS looks VERY promising!  _

            "…Mawage…mawage is whawt bwings us together tooday…"  (A/N: This is a line, said by the Honorable Bishop, from TPB, translated: Marriage, marriage is what brings us together today.)  

            _Yes, VERY promising._

            Quatre gave a slight sniff, still oblivious to Heero's arrival.  "Hurry up, Westley," sniffled Quatre.  "You've GOT to make it in time."

            Heero cleared his throat slightly, and Quatre squeaked.  "AH!!  Heero!  When did you get here?"  He snapped off the TV, his face turning a fascinating shade of crimson.  

            "I've been here long enough.  I won't blackmail you for watching a chick flick without a chick if you give me some advice."  

            "Yeah…sure…what do you need?"

            "I'm asking Relena to marry me.  How do I do it?"

            "That's LOVELY!!  Well, you need flowers, lots of flowers and pretty things and…"

            "So I BRIBE her?"

            "Of course not!" Quatre looked shocked.  "You're just showing your appreciation for her!"

            "It all sounds the same to me."

            "Well, it isn't.  And if you need a loan, just ask.  And remember, ATMOSPHERE…it's all about ATMOSPHERE!"

            "That's what Duo and Hilde said.  I'll be going now."

            "Okay."  Quatre picked up the remote again as Heero left.  

~

            "So that's the advice I need, Wufei…"

"You mean you ACTUALLY WANT to MARRY her?  Are you NUTS?" Wufei said, flailing his arms around.  "DON'T do it…I know from experience…"

"Wufei, can you come here?" Heero heard Sally call.

Wufei grimaced, "…twice."  He turned around, heading in the direction of Sally's voice.  

_O-kay…_  

~

            Heero STILL didn't know what to do.  

Astra: Hope you enjoyed this lovely little first chapter of fluff!  

Shizuko:  *grin*

Astra: Hey, and pls read our other (much less fluffy) fic, Riders and Flyers!  


	2. Just Wing It

Astra: Hey…school has started for us…so pls. forgive short chapters and a little longer between posts…

Shizuko:  But we PROMISE to keep it up!  We won't leave you hanging!

Astra: *nodnodnod*

Chapter Two: Just Wing It

            Heero stood outside Relena's door.  He took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.  

            _Here we go_.  

            Relena opened the door.  She looked exquisite, more so than usual.  

            "Ready to go?" Heero asked.  

            "Almost, I can't seem to locate my purse, come in while I look for it."  

            Relena beckoned him in and shoved him into a chair.  

            "Sit.  Wait."  

            "I could help…"

            "No…that's okay…"

            So Heero sat.  And sat.  Nervous as anything.  It wasn't really all that long, but to a prospective fiancé it was FOREVER…

            "Ready!"    

            He escorted her out of the house and led the way to his car.  

            Dinner was beautifully quiet with a candle on the table, its flickering light giving a soft glow to everything around it.  Heero ate without talking, simply letting his eyes drink in the way the candlelight glittered on Relena's tasteful jewelry and mostly on her hair, eyes, and lips.  Still, every time he tried to make conversation, the certain unasked question nagged in the back of his mind.  Yet, whenever he felt he was going to blurt it out, it stuck in his throat and made him swallow it again.  Once, he was on the verge of asking, but took a deep breath before and choked on his soup.  The coughing fit that ensued drove the thought completely from his mind.  

            They had just started on dessert when Heero steeled his resolved and slipped his hand into his pocket for the ring.  Maybe holding something solid would help keep the words coming.  Unfortunately, it wasn't there.  Skillfully masking his rising panic, he checked his other pockets and then remembered.  He had left it in the pocket of the driver's door in his car.  It would still be there for later, but he couldn't possibly ask now.  Sighing softly in annoyance, he finished his dessert, berating himself silently the whole time.

            Once they were back in the car and on their way back to Relena's, the girl asked, "Are you okay, Heero?  You've been unusually quiet, even for you,"

            "Uh…"

            _What am I gonna say?  I've been boring all night because I want to marry you?  Wait a sec…_

            Heero pulled over to the side of the road sharply, causing Relena to gasp out, "Heero!  What are you _doing_?"  

            Heero jumped out of the car and ran over to the passenger side.  He opened Relena's door and held his hand out to her.  As she unbuckled her seatbelt she whispered, "Heero?"

            He led her safely out of the way of the quiet road and knelt holding her hand.  

            For a moment the world stopped.  

            Wildflowers and dandelions blew in the wind…

            _"…you need flowers, lots of flowers…"_

            The moon was bright and cast a lovely glow around them.  

            _"…THAT'S the atmosphere thing…"_

            Heero was nervous…

            _"…you ACTUALLY WANT to MARRY her…"_

            _I most certainly do.  It's always just been how…_

            _"…you just have to hand her the ring, no words required…"_

            So that is just what Heero did.  

Astra: I feel so ingenious…I figured out how to tie in all of those quotes….Shizuko is proud…

Shizuko: *rolls eyes*  ::_I_ wrote the rest of the chapter, she didn't start until they were in the car…this whole fic, was, in fact, MY idea…::

Astra: *oblivious*  

R&R!  


	3. The Worst is Yet to Come

Astra: Woo-hoo!  A new chapter!

Shizuko: Longer than the last one too!  And it wasn't THAT late…

Chapter Three: The Worst is Yet to Come

            Heero was cleaning away his breakfast dishes the next morning when Relena called.  "So when are you going to go see Milliardo?" was the first thing she asked.

            Heero gagged on his last sip of orange juice.  "WHY in the world and all COLONIES would I want to go see Milliardo?  In case you haven't noticed, I tend to AVOID him!"

She laughed at his annoyance.  "Because, when a couple is going to get married, the guy asks the girl's father for her hand.  Only, both my biological and adoptive fathers are dead, so you get to ask…"

            "Your big brother," finished Heero gloomily, flopping onto his living room couch.  He had forgotten about that part.  "I guess I should go soon."

            "Yeah.  Do you want me to come too?"

            "PLEASE.  He's less likely to do something violent and potentially deadly in front of you."

~

            "So what did you tell him when you called?" asked Heero nervously as he and Relena rode the elevator up to Zechs and Noin's apartment.

            "Just that we needed to talk to him about something."

            "That's IT??"

            "Yeah."

            "So I have to explain EVERYTHING right there??!"

            "Yeah, I thought it would be better that way."

            Heero's scowl deepened.  "Better as in entertainment-wise for you and Noin," he muttered under his breath.

            "Hm?"

            "Oh, nothing.  This is their floor, right?"

~

            Noin answered the door.  "Relena!  Heero!  How lovely to see you both!  What's going on?"

            Relena smiled and leaned over, whispering confidentially into Noin's ear.

            "How EXCITING!!  That's WONDERFUL!!"

            "What's wonderful?"

            Heero tensed at the sound of his rival's voice.  Relena and Noin shoved him forward to greet Zechs.  "You tell him," said Relena.

            "Tell me what?"

            Heero swallowed.  "Well…I…uh…" He was cursing his training to be silent and strong with every fitting word he knew by then.  Why couldn't he have joined Speech and Debate at least at ONE of his many schools?  

            Zechs was getting annoyed.  "Well what??"

            Relena giggled; Heero turned a little red.  "Zechs…I…I never believed in taking spoils of war, but…" He winced inwardly.  Did THAT ever sound lame!  In the hall mirror hanging up behind Zechs, he could see Relena and Noin making a huge effort to keep from doubling over laughing.  Doing his best to salvage his dignity, he forced himself to look Zechs in the eye.  "Maybe," he said dryly, "it would help if we sat down and talked this over together."

            Relena was all but holding her breath to keep the laughter in as she followed Heero and her brother into the living room, with an equally hysterical Noin right behind.  They all sat facing each other in the living room, where it didn't get any better for Heero.  Zechs was quite irked by now, and Relena noticed that his hand strayed several times to his side where he used to constantly keep a pistol.  "Well??  Yuy, are you going to tell me or not?  I hope you're not just trying to irritate me."

            "No!  N-no, sir!  It's just that…"

            Relena shook her head pityingly.  This wasn't going at all well.

            "See…last night…I asked Relena—"

            Zechs all but exploded.  "You went out with her AGAIN???"

            Heero cringed visibly.  "Yeah…"

            Zechs slumped back in his chair.  "She's MY sister for cryin' out loud."

            Heero shot him a death glare.  "She's MY GIRLFRIEND and FIAN—"

            "WHAT??"

            "I mean…uh…"

            Relena nudged him.  "Go ahead."

            "My…uh…never mind…"

            Relena rolled her eyes and sat back on the couch.  Noin left the room before she lost control of herself, but her shoulders were shaking quite noticeably with laughter.  

            "So…"

            "Um…"

            "Look, you've been here almost fifteen minutes, and I still DON'T know why!!"

            "Um…wanna play twenty questions?" asked Relena.

            "WHAT??"

            "So you can figure it out."

            Heero glared at Relena, and she smiled back at him innocently.  

            "We might get somewhere that way."

            "Why doesn't RELENA just tell me?"

            "It's Heero's job."

            "Thanks a lot, Relena."

            "Any time."

            Zechs sighed.  "Okay.  It has something to do with Relena, right?"

            "Yeah."

            "And…it has something to do with Heero too?"

            "Yeah…"

            "Is he going away somewhere and leaving you behind?" asked Zechs hopefully.

            "No."

            "Is he going away somewhere and taking you with him?"

            This required some thought.  After all, such a question could easily apply to the honeymoon, but that was only IF they could even get to the wedding.  What to say?  According to the rules of twenty questions, it had to be either yes or no.  "Um…not really…"

            "What's that supposed to mean?"

            "Uh…no?"

            "Okay.  You asked Relena something last night?"

            Heero blinked.  Come to think of it, he hadn't said anything.  "Um…not verbally."

            "WHAT sort of answer is THAT???"

            "An honest one?"

            "Give me a BREAK!!"

            Relena sighed.  Maybe she should just help and finish this torture.  Slowly, she slipped her left hand from Heero's right and fingered the ring around her fourth finger, trying subtly to make the movement seen.  It didn't work.  The two kept right on arguing, neither paying attention to her or Noin, who was now watching from the doorway in case she had to make another speedy exit.

            Time passed and the discussion went absolutely nowhere.  Zechs still had not noticed the ring.  Relena grew impatient.  "Are you going to tell him?" she asked Heero.  

            "Um…"

            Relena rolled her eyes and glanced at her watch.  "So sorry, Milliardo, but we've got to be going.  I have someplace to be."

            "Where?"

            "Um…somewhere.  Okay?"  She stood hurriedly.

            "But…why were you here?"

            "Oh, that.  I'll call you or something, K?  Bye!"  She walked out the door, dragging Heero by the collar.  

            Heero didn't even dare to look her in the face until they were in the car.  When he finally did, he was surprised at how indifferent she looked.  "So what are we gonna do now?" he asked.

            She shrugged.  "He'll find out eventually.  I realized that since he gave up the Peacecraft name, he technically has no control over me.  I'm old enough to make my own decisions now too."

            Heero groaned.  "Why couldn't you have figured that out BEFORE we went over to his place??"

            Three days later, Noin brought the mail up from their post box on the first floor.  Most of it was bills or ads, but there was one small white envelope addressed to her husband.  She found him reading the newspaper in the kitchen and handed it to him.  Zechs slit it open with his knife and stared at the card inside.

_Come help us celebrate!_

_Please join us for the wedding of_

_Heero Yuy_

_and _

_Relena Darlian___

_On Saturday, August 26_

            …and so on.

            Zechs calmly set the note down on the table, and then walked quietly to his closet. He pulled out his favorite machine gun from his past days of war and destruction and picked up the phone.

            Heero was watching _The Princess Bride_ (his excuse to see why Quatre liked such movies) when the phone rang.  He picked it up absently and was nearly deafened by the voice on the other end.

            "YUY!!!!!!!!!"

Astra and Shizuko: He!  R&R!  


	4. The Wedding

Astra: Weeee!We updated!

Shizuko: *nodnod*

Chapter Four: All According to Plan…They Wish!

"You FINALLY asked?And she ACCEPTED?SWEEEEEET!"

Heero winced at Duo's outburst."Yeah."

"Well, I volunteer to be the PREACHER!"

"Beg pardon?"

"Well, think about it.I've got the COLLAR for the job, no?"

"Um…"

Relena forced a smile."I don't think it's the collar that makes the preacher, Duo.But thanks for the offer."

"You could be best man," suggested Heero.

Duo thought about that for a while."OK.That works for me!"

"I'll help with decorations," volunteered Hilde.

Duo blinked."But, Hilde, what's so interesting about flowers?"

She glanced about and then whispered confidentially, "It's not the flowers, honey, it's the candles."

Duo grinned."Good thinking!The best part is always FIRE!!!"

Hilde nodded energetically as Heero put his face in his hands and Relena looked a little pale."Umm…well," she choked out, thinking fast, "how about you be Maid of Honor, Hilde?Noin declined, so we need someone, and you could go with Duo that way…"

Hilde thought about that for a while."Fire or maid of honor…fire or maid of honor…"

"Ooh, tough decision," sympathized Duo.

There was a moment of tense silence.Heero crossed his fingers behind his back for luck.

"Well…I'll take maid of honor, for Duo!" decided Hilde, planting a kiss on her husband's cheek.

Duo turned red."Awww…Hilde…"

Fortunately, neither noticed Heero and Relena sigh in relief.

"Hey, Heero, can we make the wedding cake?"

"Yeah?Can we?I'm really good at baking!"

"Yeah!She only blows up the kitchen every other time."

"Don't flatter me, Duo.It's more often than that."

"You're blushing, Hilde…"

Heero blinked."Um…that's okay, you guys.I think the caterer will take care of the cake…"

"Aw, too bad.Hilde here is really good."

"I'm sure," said Relena."Maybe another time."

"Okay!"

In short, everyone fussed over everything.Relena's dress had to be perfect, with every little bit of lace in place.Quatre was busy making sure the flower arrangements were in order, without a single baby's breath blossom out of pattern."I think we're short on pink flowers," he informed Heero.

A slight grin twitched at the sides of Heero's mouth."Oh no, we're not," he replied.

Trowa remained as impassive as ever, watching silently, though not unhappily, and lending a hand wherever it was needed.Catherine was his opposite, fluttering from project to project and generally spreading a calming cheerfulness.It was needed too, especially at the rehearsal.

The real problems started relatively close to the beginning, right where Zechs was supposed to walk down the aisle with Relena to give her away.When she was close enough, Heero reached out to take her hands, and she started towards him.She stopped suddenly, however, when she realized that she was only able to go so far.Zechs had a death grip on her arm, and didn't seem to be ready to let her go any time soon.

"Milliardo!" she hissed furiously.

"It doesn't feel right," he objected stubbornly, "to be GIVING you away to HIM!"

"But that's how the ceremony goes!" she said, prying her arm from his and joining Heero at the front.

Zechs was about to make a comment when Noin walked up."Zechs, come help me with something."

"But…"

"COME!!"

The rest of the rehearsal went without incident.Afterwards, Wufei pulled Heero to the side."Here," he murmured, pressing something into his friend's hand.

"What is it?"

"I warned you, Heero.You SHOULD have listened to me.It's too late now…but you've still got a chance."

"What are you talking about?"

"You went ahead to get married, of course!I warned you…"

"So what is this?" Heero asked, holding up the small capsule Wufei had given him.

"It's your last chance if you finally come to your senses.Sally's gonna kill me, but I wanted to give you a way out," he said with the proud, quiet air of a martyr.

"What IS it??"

"It's cyanide…just in case."

"WHAT???"

"Wufei??Where are you?" came Sally's voice.

Wufei jumped like he had been stung, obviously debating within whether or not to respond."Um…"

"There you are!"Sally appeared from around the corner, taking in the scene with one shrewd glance."Don't tell me your trying to brainwash poor Heero against marriage AGAIN!!"

"Well…"

She shook her head."Don't listen to him, Heero.He's all soft inside and doesn't even realize it.Come on, Wufei.We have to get home."

Wufei looked back one last time as he was dragged away."Don't forget!" he called out."I've given you a chance!"

Heero watched them leave, and then studied the capsule.He stood there for a moment, then grinned and tossed it down onto the ground, crushing it beneath his heel as he walked off to find Relena.

The wedding day was perfectly sunny, with only amiable fluffy white clouds in the sky.

Heero despised it. 

It wasn't really the weather's fault.He was just so nervous, and there was the fact that the ceremony seemed to take FOREVER to start; it all just made him horribly irritated.When everything finally did start, though, all other thoughts melted away.The procession came down flawlessly, though Hilde almost tripped in her high heels.That, and one of the ribbons on the flower arrangements mysteriously caught fire (one of Relena's old school friends quickly doused it.)But when he saw Relena, nothing else mattered.

Her golden hair was loose, framing her perfect face and caressing her shoulders ever so delicately.Her dress cascaded over her frame, making a quiet hushing noise as she floated down the aisle.Her lacy veil fluttered slightly, and for a moment Heero imagined her with angel's wings…a very fitting analogy, he thought.Her azure eyes, misted with tears of happiness, sparkled as she kept her gaze on him alone, contrasting with Milliardo's fierce scowl.

She seemed to take forever to come to the end, and yet it was an eternity he enjoyed.Finally, they were face to face, and she discreetly wrenched her arm from Milliardo's so that she could hold hands with her beloved.They repeated their vows without a slip up, and the only tense moment was when Duo forgot which pocket he put the ring in.They found it, though, and the rest went without incident.

Until the very end.

Relena thought she heard a suspicious click when the minister said, "You may now kiss your bride."A glance at her brother confirmed her fears.Noin was too busy wiping her eyes on her handkerchief to notice, but Milliardo had a pistol ready in his right hand.She felt Heero's hands on her shoulders, felt him move a little closer, saw the gun rise slightly…

Suddenly, she moved just a bit to the side, turning Heero with her, so that she stood between him and her brother.Satisfied that she would shield her new husband well enough for the moment, she allowed him his rightful kiss.

Afterwards, at the reception, Heero turned to his bride with a smile."Well," he murmured softly, "that's wasn't so bad."

Shizuko: The End!

Astra:We hope you liked our fluffy fic…and remember to keep reading our other story, Riders and Flyers!

Both: Bye!


End file.
